GENERAL DEBATE

GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA: Algerian Amb. Ramtane Lamamra, on
behalf of the G-77 and China, stressed that "sustained human
development" and "human security" must become established integral
concepts. He affirmed the importance of human rights and poverty
elimination. Important areas to be revised in the text relate to
institutional arrangements, international cooperation and follow-up
mechanisms. He supported the idea of expanding the Bureau of the
Cairo Conference by increasing the number of Vice-Chairs in order
to provide the broadest possible geographic representation.
However, he discouraged any measures that might give rise to a
multiplicity of working groups that would impact negatively on the
transparency and the contribution of developing countries.

EGYPT: Prof. Maher Mahran, Minister of Population and Family
Welfare, acknowledged the importance of women for successful
implementation of any population activities. He also emphasized the
need for an additional chapter on the roles and responsibility of
men in family planning. He assured that preparations for the ICPD
is underway and information on the logistics may be sought from
representatives of Egypt.

CHINA: Mme. Peng Yu reiterated the critical role played by
population and demographic imbalances in economic development. She
emphasized that because of the diversity in cultural and
demographic conditions, governments should formulate their own
population objectives and strategies. She stated that family
planning should not be promoted by coercion, but that couples
should be given the rights and responsibilities to decide on the
number and spacing of their children.

JAPAN: The representative called for a concise and
action-oriented document to be implemented globally. He also agreed
with the linkage between population and sustainable development.
However, a consensus is needed regarding the achievement of the
ambitious numerical targets. He mentioned that Japan had
contributed US$500,000 for developing country participation in the
ICPD process. He assured that Japan will continue its financial
support.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: Amb. Lionel Hurst stated the commitment
of its nation to the improvement of the role of women. He provided
concrete examples regarding the high rates of literacy, political
representation, and access to family planning and health in his
country. He added that the Conference must go beyond acknowledging
the links between population dynamics and development.

IPPF: The representative from the International Planned
Parenthood Federation (IPPF) listed the six challenges that the
IPPF will focus on: access by all women to contraception; access to
information for safe sex; quality health care; access to safe
abortion; access to information on transmittable diseases and
unwanted pregnancies by adolescents; and empowerment of women
through protection of their reproductive rights.

POPULATION ACTION INTERNATIONAL: The representative
emphasized the challenge to universalize access to quality health
care. He stated that flexible, preventive health care is
significantly more cost effective than curative healthcare.

ECUADOR: Marjorie Ulloa insisted on the need for a favorable
economic environment to help attain the objectives of the ICPD. She
said that the social crisis in Ecuador is characterized by a
deterioration of living standards and very high unemployment rates,
compounded by the lack of health coverage and illiteracy.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Delia Chatoor referred to the Trinidad
experts meeting in September, which was attended by representatives
of the Caribbean countries. She affirmed the importance of a
Caribbean perspective.

AUSTRALIA: Amb. Richard Butler identified several issues of
particular importance to Australia: the plight of indigenous
peoples; the relationship between population, sustained economic
growth and sustainable development; the status of women;
reproductive rights, health and family planning; international
migration; population and development; and ICPD follow-up.

UNESCO: Francine Fournier said that the ICPD must build on
the international commitment to provide education for all, with
gender equity. She referred to the need to refine the knowledge
base and to foster new approaches to education activities to deal
with the issues of population, environment and human development.

NGO PLANNING COMMITTEE: Billie Miller noted that over 500
NGOs are represented here by over 1200 individuals. She highlighted
the importance of the role of NGOs in the population and
development field, noting that they continue to act where
governments cannot or will not act. She said that over 6000 NGO
representatives will attend the ICPD, noting Dutch, Norwegian and
Swedish and EU support for the Global Forum. She added that an
additional US$800,000 is needed to cover costs.

POPULATION COUNCIL: The representative said that the
solutions for the problems at hand should not only address
demographics, but quality of life issues as well. Governments must
include family planning and reproductive health services as key
social investments to assist individuals in meeting their family
planning goals. Conditions must be created that are favorable to
the development of small families, including increased education
and better investment in women and children.

WEDO: Bella Abzug said that the action plan does not
sufficiently recognize that over-consumption of non-renewable and
endangered resources is a significant contributor to long-term
environmental degradation. She said that the ICPD must emphasize:
the unmet needs of the poor; increased development assistance to
women's empowerment programmes; greater allocations for health
care; funding international networks and coalitions to monitor
abuses; and grassroots-based standards for evaluation of
contraceptive technology.

INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE: The
representative referred to dwindling world food production, the
environmental concerns of high input food production, and the
impacts of agricultural protectionism. He added that increased
investment in irrigation and infrastructure, education and
training, and sectoral policies are needed.

JAPANESE FEDERATION OF PARLIAMENTARIANS ON POPULATION AND
DEVELOPMENT: Dr. Taro Nakayama introduced the Tokyo
Declaration, which was the product of the Meeting of Eminent
Persons on Population and Development. The Declaration highlights
the principal problems regarding population, sustainable
development, women's roles in decision making, reproductive health
and family planning, population distribution and migration.

CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE LAW AND POLICY: Rachel Pine said
that governments should endorse legal norms that promote access to
comprehensive, voluntary and quality reproductive health care for
women. Governments should also adopt laws to foster the legal,
medical, social and economic conditions that empower women.

ASIAN FORUM OF PARLIAMENTARIANS ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT:
Mr. Shin Sakurai said that the commitment to population issues
must ensure dignity of the human race. He noted that for the first
time in history we have found a common purpose for which we can
fight, regardless of our nationalities.

ECOLOGY TASK FORCE: The representative said that all
generations are at risk if the current economic paradigms are not
changed. He said that social policies must protect the whole of
creation.

INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS: The
representative noted that the high rate of unemployment has brought
massive human suffering. She said that a special chapter on
employment creation and training should be developed.

FAO: Jacques du Guerny said that the heart of the problem
lies in food security and the elimination of related constraints.
FAO will organize a World Food Summit in 1996 to ensure the
political commitment to carry out ICPD goals.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC: The
Representative said that more primary health care is needed in
order to achieve the goals of the Bali Declaration. He said that
ESCAP had set realistic goals and that female education was key.

WORLD BANK: Tom Merrick said that the World Bank is in the
process of reviewing its own policies regarding population
activities. He said that global expenditures must double in the
next decade and urged that programme goals should be stated in
terms of quality of health care instead of reduction of growth
rates. The Bank will help mobilize the necessary resources.

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT: The
representative said that the ultimate goal of the ICPD is to
achieve as much development as possible, while minimizing
environmental stress.

BOTSWANA: The representative suggested that: progress must
be made in lowering morbidity and mortality rates; more emphasis
should be made in data processing and analysis; governments should
remove obstacles for girl child education; the international donor
community should complement the social spending efforts of the
poorer countries; and more emphasis should be given to the linkages
between agriculture, food and nutrition.